Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-08-24
TIE AMERICAN PARTY.

THE AMERICAN PARTY.
| The Old hnownothing party was sup
posed to have passed away and many
once prominent members Of the organ
izstion in Texas and elsewhere consider
! ed its demise so effectual and thorough
thst they were disposed 10 refer to their
former connection with it as one of the
Indiscretions Of youth Of which they long
ego repented, and for which they prayed
forgiveness. 1t was the skeleton in tie
closet OF many public men which Was
carefully concealed from public view
! Nothing has trsuspired of late years TO
awaken the urhaHowed memory with the
solitary exception OF sn expressed fear
by one very eminent gentleman, that he
children Of The present generation wou.d
! be "elbowiDg esch other into the sea,
End this, while containing g few
drops of the old spirit, was so
weakened and diluted with the harm
less waters OF political speculations and
economic possibilities, as to Tenderit lgno-
cuous, II not absolutely tasteless. In
Texas we had railroads. to build, vast
tracts of wild lands to op2n up, forests
20 subdue and, what was in itself pow
eriul factor, ctIices to secure, so that the
cry Of America for Americans, was
neither prudent nor popular war cry.
TIE organization disb.nded, the hostility
which it had ergendered cooled, the taith
was forgotten and the blood Of the Dem
ocrstic lamb washed away the sins and
stains Of the erring advocates Of the
measure. 1t wss never popular; no man
could be elected to office on the strength
OF it, snd it was dropped as though it
contained 8 hornets nest-whiCh it did.
While it was forced to fee from Texas,
or hide es sn unwelcome guest in the
breasts Of few, it found an abiding
place in other states. 1t was offered
shelter ard comfort on the Pacific slope
IS soon as the chlldlike Celestisls begun
to absorb the wealth of the country. 1t
found lotgment in the north and east
where foreigners were being elected to
offices Of public trust and honor before
they had been formally introduced to the
institutions Of the country. 1t was here,
there and everywhere, but afraid to show
itself, alarmed at the possibility of dis
covery snd earnestly praying for strength
and power to once more throw OF dis
! M 20
the lists and contest hercely for the
laurel Of supremacy. But 1t was too
radical q change from the conditions Of
the present and the traditions of the
past, TO meet with much encouragement
and it therefore had to be mod
fed and shorn OF its more salient
and Objectionable features. The pruu
ing process has been accomp
lished, the organization remodeled, tbs
old name abandoned and the "Americar
party" all frilled, spangled aud smiling
3 trips lightly across the carpet. The
0 American party claims 8 membership o
100 900 and its objects from the mesgel
reports received, seem to be to teact
y purely American ideas, restrict emigrs
ton and, like the female mayor of {
western town, be "a home bedy'
A.; strictly, The party has an excellen
: field in which to exercise It's energies
). 1t will never accomplish all it proposes
/: no party ever did. 1t may work up
feeling against the admission OF politi
cal, social and economic outlaws from
foreign lands and secure legislation OIL
: the subject and perhaps effect som
!. change in the naturalization laws OF tn
country. These, with the suppression 0
Is the foreign land syndicate snd the foreig
landlord, are subjects worthy Of con
- sideratiNn.